May 9 A Brief Stay

"A brief stay, a few days in the country, a small vacation, a summer afternoon. In innocence we turn from the city and the workplace and the cares to a cottage by the sea or in the mountains. Hope is the real baggage we bring. Will there be a moment of solace? Can love grow/repair? Is it possible l am yet young again? Will I see another meteor while walking up the hill tonight? Too soon the wind rustles the leaves, the nights cool... Our brief stay in the country our moment of happiness with friend or family has another meaning: one more brief stay against the inexorable vicissitudes life brings and brings again." -Joel Sternfeld